1 N‑VAR Potpourri is a mixture of dried petals and leaves from different flowers. Potpourri is used to make rooms smell pleasant.
2 N‑SING A potpourri of things is a collection of various different items which were not originally intended to form a group. □ [+ of ] …a potpourri of architectural styles from all over the world.
po t roast (pot roasts ) N‑VAR A pot roast is a piece of meat that is cooked very slowly with a small amount of liquid in a covered pot.
po t shot (pot shots ) also pot-shot
1 N‑COUNT To take a pot shot at someone or something means to shoot at them without taking the time to aim carefully. [INFORMAL ]
2 N‑COUNT A pot shot is a criticism of someone which may be unexpected and unfair. [INFORMAL ] □ …Republican rivals taking pot shots at the president.
pot|ted /pɒ t I d/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Potted meat or fish is cooked meat or fish, usually in the form of a paste, which has been put into a small sealed container. □ …potted shrimps.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A potted history or biography contains just the main facts about someone or something. [BRIT ] □ The film is a potted history of the band.
3 → see also pot
pot|ter /pɒ tə r / (potters , pottering , pottered ) N‑COUNT A potter is someone who makes pottery.
▸ potter around or potter about PHRASAL VERB If you potter around or potter about , you do pleasant but unimportant things, without hurrying. [BRIT ] □ [V P ] I was perfectly happy just pottering around doing up my flat. □ [V P n] At weekends he would potter around the garden. in AM, use putter around
po t|ter's whee l (potter's wheels ) N‑COUNT A potter's wheel is a piece of equipment with a flat disc which spins round, on which a potter puts soft clay in order to shape it into a pot.
pot|tery /pɒ təri/ (potteries )
1 N‑UNCOUNT You can use pottery to refer to pots, dishes, and other objects which are made from clay and then baked in an oven until they are hard.
2 N‑UNCOUNT You can use pottery to refer to the hard clay that some pots, dishes, and other objects are made of. □ Some bowls were made of pottery and wood.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Pottery is the craft or activity of making objects out of clay.
4 N‑COUNT A pottery is a factory or other place where pottery is made.
po t|ting com|post (potting composts ) N‑VAR Potting compost is soil that is specially prepared to help plants to grow, especially in containers. [BRIT ] in AM, use compost
po t|ting shed (potting sheds ) N‑COUNT A potting shed is a small building in a garden, in which you can keep things such as seeds or garden tools.
pot|ty /pɒ ti/ (potties ) N‑COUNT A potty is a deep bowl which a small child uses instead of a toilet.
po t|ty trained also potty-trained ADJ Potty trained means the same as toilet trained . [BRIT ]
po t|ty train|ing also potty-training N‑UNCOUNT Potty training is the same as toilet training . [BRIT ]
pouch /paʊ tʃ/ (pouches )
1 N‑COUNT A pouch is a flexible container like a small bag.
2 N‑COUNT The pouch of an animal such as a kangaroo or a koala bear is the pocket of skin on its stomach in which its baby grows.
pouf /pʊ f/ → see poof
poul|tice /poʊ lt I s/ (poultices ) N‑COUNT A poultice is a piece of cloth with a soft, often hot, substance such as clay or a mixture of herbs on it. It is put over a painful or swollen part of someone's body in order to reduce the pain or swelling.
poul|try /poʊ ltri/ N‑PLURAL You can refer to chickens, ducks, and other birds that are kept for their eggs and meat as poultry . ● N‑UNCOUNT Meat from these birds is also referred to as poultry . □ The menu features roast meats and poultry.
pounce /paʊ ns/ (pounces , pouncing , pounced )
1 VERB If someone pounces on you, they come up towards you suddenly and take hold of you. □ [V + on/upon ] He pounced on the photographer, beat him up and smashed his camera. □ [V ] Fraud squad officers had bugged the phone and were ready to pounce.
2 VERB If someone pounces on something such as a mistake, they quickly draw attention to it, usually in order to gain an advantage for themselves or to prove that they are right. □ [V + on/upon ] The Democrats were ready to pounce on any Republican failings or mistakes. [Also V ]
3 VERB When an animal or bird pounces on something, it jumps on it and holds it, in order to kill it. □ [V + on/upon ] …like a tiger pouncing on its prey. □ [V ] Before I could get the pigeon the cat pounced.
pound ◆◆◆ /paʊ nd/ (pounds , pounding , pounded )
1 N‑COUNT [num N ] The pound is the unit of money which is used in the UK. It is represented by the symbol £. One UK pound is divided into a hundred pence. Some other countries, for example Egypt, also have a unit of money called a pound . □ Coffee is two pounds a cup. □ A thousand pounds worth of jewellery and silver has been stolen. □ …multi-million pound profits. □ …a pound coin. ● N‑SING [the N ] The pound is also used to refer to the UK currency system. □ The pound is expected to continue to increase against most other currencies.
2 N‑SING The pound is used to refer to the British currency system, and sometimes to the currency systems of other countries which use pounds. □ The pound is expected to continue to increase against most other currencies.